£20 million taxpayer investment in civic museums to protect opening hours and jobs, as part of the government’s ongoing commitment to ensure museums can continue to tell our national story at a local level
Millions of people across England will be able to continue to celebrate their local heritage thanks to the taxpayers’ £20 million Museum Renewal Fund.
The funding will be shared between 75 civic museums, including Birmingham Museums Trust, Barnsley Museums and Discover Bucks Museum. It will improve public access to collections, protect community and educational programmes, and help to ensure treasured local and regional museums are fit for the future.
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The fund strengthens our nationwide network of museums, ensuring that local communities have access to culture for generations to come whilst being able to take pride in how their towns and villages have played a role in our national story. It will protect opening hours and job opportunities for millions of visitors and local communities, whilst strengthening museums’ ability to attract tourists and employers to regions across the country.
The Museum Renewal Fund is part of the £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund, announced by the Culture Secretary in February 2025 as part of the government’s Plan for Change to support economic growth and increase opportunities nationwide.
Museums Minister, Baroness Twycross said:
Yesterday, the Museums Minister Baroness Twycross visited The Culture Trust, Luton to see first-hand the impact £530,528 in funding will have on museum services in Luton. She met with local representatives to discuss how the investment will keep Luton’s museums open and create content for and with communities. The funding will enable the Trust to expand its outreach efforts, and improve public access to collections, benefiting Luton’s diverse communities, learners, and volunteers through maintaining staffing levels and continued education and community initiatives.
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Other examples of funded projects include:
Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England said:
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Full list of recipients receiving a share of the fund:
London:
West Midlands:
East Midlands:
North East:
North West:
South East:
South West:
East of England:
Yorkshire and the Humber: